She Tried
by snuggle the muggle
Summary: When Bella and Edward returned from Jacksonville, Charlie asked: "So Renee didn't sell you on the University of Florida?" Bella said "She tried."


Written for the 4th wave challenge on LJ's Twilightathon. Hope you enjoy this little glimpse into what happened in Eclipse when Bella and Edward were in Jacksonville.

**So Renee Didn't Sell You on the University of Florida? She Tried.**

"Bella, wake up. Bella." Edward's fingers were cool on her face and Bella turned her cheek into his palm. It was hot, very hot, and the humidity was absolutely stifling.

"Oh, Edward. I'm not sure I can stand it here for another two nights. This is dreadful!" Bella kicked off the light sheet she had slept under, moving closer to Edward's cool skin. "I have the hardest time getting comfortable."

"I, on the other hand, found the night quite pleasant." His voice held a bit of smirk and Bella smirked back, but felt a light blush rise in her face. She was wearing a tank top and a pair of tiny shorts because it was the minimal amount of clothes she could wear and still be covered. Edward apparently thought that watching her sleep in that get-up was a bit of a thrill. Bella cast around quickly for an alternate topic of conversation. Not that she didn't want to talk about being mostly naked in front of Edward, but since he would never reciprocate, it just put her at a disadvantage.

"So, why did you wake me up? It's awfully early. Especially considering that my body is still on Washington time." She stared at the clock, squinting to read the numbers. "It's only 6:30! Do you know what that means? It's the middle of the night as far as my brain is concerned!"

"I just wanted to talk to you before I have to go back to my room and pretend I slept there all night. You can go back to sleep if you really want to."

Bella immediately felt guilty for being snappy with him and reached for his hand. "I'm sorry. You're right. Renee was always an early riser and I bet she'll be up soon. Anything in particular you wanted to say?"

"Renee was thinking a lot last night before she went to sleep about how much she loves you. I expected that. What I didn't expect was that she was regretting that she hadn't forcibly dragged you here to Jacksonville last October. When I . . . left."

"Oh." Bella sat up. "Any reason in particular that she wanted me here?"

"Her reasons aren't important, Bella. I just, well. I wanted to say sorry again, for that."

"Edward." She kissed him softly on the cheek. "Please never apologize again. It doesn't change anything and it just makes me feel bad."

Edward opened his mouth to respond and then stood up suddenly. "She's awake. Gotta run." And he apparently met it literally because Bella didn't even see him leave or hear her door shut but her room was empty. Too bad because Edward was the coolest thing in the vicinity. She had wanted to sleep pressed against his better-than-air-conditioning body, but he had refused, stating that he didn't think he could really handle it if she was snuggling up to him in that tiny outfit. Well, tonight, she thought as she lay back down and pulled the sheet over herself, wrinkling her nose as the warmth it held, she would cover up with more and insist that he be her personal space cooler. It was either that, or she was going to die.

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead." Renee poked her head in the door. "I know it's early but if I let you sleep the days away, we won't get to do much."

"Mom! It's like 3:30 back home."

"I know, you can sleep in the car."

"Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise, but you'll love it! Come on, I want to be on the road in a couple hours at the most."

"'Kay. I'll go wake Edward."

"I don't think so, young lady. I'll knock and wake him up that way." Renee gave her a thorough glare. "You aren't in the habit of being in each other's bedrooms, I hope."

"Of course not, Mom." Bella crossed her fingers under the sheet. "Charlie would have a fit, I guarantee it, and his parents feel the same. We don't, uh, do much, that way."

"Well, he is very handsome."

"Yes, he is." Both of them giggled and Bella sighed as her mother left the room and a moment later she heard a firm knock designed to wake a sleeping teenage boy. She had wanted to reconnect with her mother, for what may be the last time, and instead she was just, yet again, lying to her more and more every time she opened her mouth. Well, okay. Not every time. The part about Edward being handsome was true. The part about Charlie having a fit if he knew Edward was in her bedroom was also true. The part about them not doing much that way was also true. She just knew that taken as a whole, the conversation had been a lie.

Renee had never been much of a cook and Bella, claiming exhaustion, said she wasn't up to fixing anything. So she had cold cereal and Edward puttered around pretending to eat toast. He had sort of an odd expression now and again but Renee was sort of hovering, so Bella didn't have a chance to ask him what he was hearing from Renee's head. He didn't seem upset . . . he was more like bemused. Yeah, that was a good choice of word to describe his expression. Once in a while, a more pronounced grin or grimace would cross his features, but then they would arrange themselves back into bemused before much longer. By 7:30, the three of them were standing next to Renee's Ford Focus. Bella wanted to apologize to Edward for that.

"You interested in driving, Edward?"

His eyes widened slightly and Bella had to bite her lip to keep from laughing out loud at the idea of his cruising down the street in the showy, exciting, real mechanical wonder of the Focus. "Uh, no thanks, Ms. Dwyer. I appreciate your offering, but I think I'm a bit too tired to be a safe driver and especially since I have no idea where we're headed."

"Okay. Well, I'd offer for you to sit up here as there's more space for your legs, but I assume you and Bella want to cuddle on the back seat."

"Yes please!" Bella interrupted. "I'm still exhausted."

"Okay. Well, climb in and get comfy. We're going to Gainesville!"

Bella scowled. "Why are we going to Gainesville, Mom?"

"I know you've both got your heart sets on some college in the Godforsaken wilderness of Alaska – although why I can't imagine. But I'm pretty sure once you see how much is available at the University of Florida, you'll at least consider it."

"Mom!"

"Don't Mom me. Come on. We're going. And now that I'm driving, you don't have much choice but to come along with." She had already driven them off of the street where their little bungalow sat and into the early-morning traffic. Bella sighed noisily in displeasure and Edward pulled her close.

"I don't mind seeing another college campus, Bella. It might be fun. Don't you think, Ms. Dwyer, that it might be a bit late to apply to a different place, if we like it here?"

"Oh, well . . ."

Bella sighed quietly, burying her face in Edward's cool shoulder. She could tell from her mom's expression that she hadn't even thought about the logistics of actually getting into a big university and trying to find housing and classes, etc. this close to graduation. Well, in a way, that was good news because it meant that she hadn't really thought too seriously about options, just thought it might be fun to have Bella nearby. Bella relaxed, spurred on by Edward's soft, gentle rubbing of her arm and back. "Love you, Bella." She just smiled and let her eyes drift closed. Edward's cell phone rang a minute later and Bella jerked awake. Edward pretended to.

"Oh, hey, Alice. What are you doing up so early?" Bella chuckled under her breath at the masquerade Edward was managing to maintain in front of Renee.

"Mm. Okay. Go back to bed." Bella could hear Alice's tinkling laugh as Edward hung up the phone. "My sister Alice says hello and she wanted to remind me to buy her a really good souvenir."

Renee smiled and Edward tried again to get comfortable in the small back seat. Bella kissed him on the cheek and curled up into him. "I'm going to sleep, Edward."

"Good," he said aloud, pulling her closer to him again. Then, sotto voce, he explained the phone call. "Alice says it's going to be quite cloudy at the University today except around lunch time. So we'll have to convince your Mom that we're starving and spend a long time eating."

Bella felt herself drifting off, lulled by the feeling of Edward's cool skin underneath her overheated cheek and she smiled. It would be fun to tell everyone about how tempted Edward had been about attending the University of Florida. It was just his kind of place.


End file.
